The 37-year-old coach has left Sunderland by mutual consent after joining Régis Le Bris’ backroom staff in the summer
Sunderland have parted ways with assistant head coach Luciano Vulcano, The Echo understands.
The Premier League club and Vulcano separated by mutual consent last week, with Sunderland expected to continue with their existing coaching staff following his departure. The 37-year-old was not on the bench for Monday night’s win over Burnley at the Stadium of Light.
Vulcano was in the early stages of his time on Wearside, having joined Sunderland in the summer as part of Régis Le Bris’ backroom team. His exit comes midway through his first season at the club. Prior to his move to Sunderland, Vulcano had built a varied coaching and analytical career across Europe and the Middle East. He began working in football as an analyst before earning his UEFA coaching badges at Italy’s renowned Coverciano school, a pathway he has previously credited to a combination of hard work and good fortune.
His career has included spells at some of Serie A’s biggest clubs, including Inter Milan, Fiorentina and AC Milan, where he played a role in a league title-winning campaign. Vulcano also sampled the UEFA Champions League during his time in Italy. More recently, he worked at Al Nassr, where he was part of the coaching staff that included working with Cristiano Ronaldo, before making the move to Sunderland. Sunderland have not indicated that Vulcano’s departure will lead to any immediate changes behind the scenes, with the club understood to be comfortable continuing with their current coaching structure.
Despite Vulcano’s departure, Sunderland’s wider coaching structure remains strong and largely unchanged from the framework put in place last summer. Vulcano initially joined alongside fellow assistant head coach Isidre Ramón Madir, and goalkeeping coach Neil Cutler.
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Madir leads opposition analysis and arrived with a wealth of experience, having previously worked with Barcelona, Valencia, OGC Nice and Paris Saint-Germain, as well as holding roles with the Spain and Iraq national teams. Cutler, meanwhile, oversees Sunderland’s goalkeeping programme and the development of the club’s first-team goalkeepers, having previously held Premier League coaching roles with West Bromwich Albion, Aston Villa and Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Former head of goalkeeping Alessandro Barcherini was appointed interim assistant coach last season and has since transitioned into the role on a permanent basis. His focus is primarily on Sunderland’s defensive unit and individual player development plans, providing continuity within the coaching group. Michael Proctor also remains a coach under Le Bris. Taken together, the structure under Le Bris remains well resourced and settled, with Sunderland understood to be comfortable continuing with their existing setup following Vulcano’s exit.
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